Robert Montgomery Presents


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About

From Wikipedia:

Robert Montgomery Presents is a dramatic television series which was produced by NBC from January 30, 1950 until June 24, 1957. The live show had several sponsors during its seven-year run, and the title was altered to feature the sponsor, usually Lucky Strike cigarettes, for example, Robert Montgomery Presents Your Lucky Strike Theater, ....The Johnson's Wax Program, and so on.

Evolution

In 1949, to develop the series for NBC, Montgomery relocated his family from the West Coast to New York City. Robert Montgomery Presents originally was telecast on a semi-weekly basis, alternating with Musical Comedy Time and Somerset Maugham TV Theatre until December 1951 when it became a weekly series.

Initially offering hour-long dramas adapted from successful Hollywood films, the series was hosted and produced by Robert Montgomery. His presence lent a degree of respectability to the new medium of television, and he was able to persuade many of his Hollywood associates to appear. Montgomery introduced each episode and also acted in many episodes.

The program was noted for the high level of production values and the consistent attempt to present quality entertainment within the constraints of a live presentation. A drama built around the Hindenburg disaster, including interviews with survivors of the actual event, was one example of the ambitious nature of the program.
Productions

The debut episode was W. Somerset Maugham's The Letter. During its first season, the movie adaptations included Rebecca, The Egg and I, Dark Victory and Montgomery's Ride the Pink Horse. Over the following seasons it adapted highly respected works but also showcased new writers and original dramas written expressly for the series. On Christmas Eve 1956, in a departure from its usual non-musical format, the series telecast Gian-Carlo Menotti's opera Amahl and the Night Visitors, which had already become an annual television event.

Highlights
Angela Lansbury on working with "pleasant but cold" Robert Montgomery
02:26
Agnes Nixon on writing an episode of Robert Montgomery Presents starring Jackie Cooper
01:14
Cliff Robertson on acting in live Robert Montgomery Presents productions
03:30
Henry Colman on his encounter with the Blacklist during his tenure at Robert Montgomery Presents
03:32
William Clotworthy on working on Robert Montgomery Presents
02:17
Who talked about this show

Dick Berg

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Dick Berg on writing "Hollywood Award Winner" for Kaiser Aluminum Hour  and "The Clay Pigeon" for Robert Montgomery Presents
03:42

William Clotworthy

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William Clotworthy on representing client American Tobacco in television shows Robert Montgomery Presents, Your Hit Parade, and This is Show Business
05:46
William Clotworthy on working on Robert Montgomery Presents
02:17

Henry Colman

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Henry Colman on his encounter with the Blacklist during his tenure at Robert Montgomery Presents
03:32
Henry Colman on working in live television, where an actor thought the dress rehearsal was the aired show
00:56
Henry Colman on being assistant to the production supervisor on Robert Montgomery Presents
16:30

William Daniels

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William Daniels on appearing on Robert Montgomery Presents and Somerset Maugham TV Theatre
02:04

Sam Denoff

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Sam Denoff on observing the early days of live television while working as a page at NBC's Studio 8H where Kraft Television Theater, Robert Montgomery Presents, and other live anthology series were filmed
02:57

Dominick Dunne

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Dominick Dunne on being floor manager on Robert Montgomery Presents
07:24
Dominick Dunne on the production schedule for Robert Montgomery Presents
01:43

Norman Felton

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Director Norman Felton on his long association with Robert Montgomery Presents [Part 1]
26:52
Director Norman Felton on his long association with Robert Montgomery Presents  
22:36
Director Norman Felton on the "Kitty Foyle" episode of Robert Montgomery Presents  
02:01
Norman Felton on a photo of Helen Hayes in a production of Robert Montgomery Presents
01:18

William Klages

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William Klages on Robert Montgomery Presents and Robert Montgomery
03:39

Perry Lafferty

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Perry Lafferty on making the transition into directing drama with Tales of Tomorrow and Robert Montgomery Presents
07:29
Perry Lafferty on James Cagney appearing on Robert Montgomery Presents and on Cagney forgetting his lines
02:35
Perry Lafferty on The Robert Montgomery Presents episodes "Good Friday, 1865," dealing with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and "One Minute to Ditch"
04:42
Perry Lafferty on the budget and sponsors of Robert Montgomery Presents, and on a novel he wrote later in his career
01:30
Perry Lafferty on working with Norman Felton on Robert Montgomery Presents, and on some of the actors who appeared on the show
06:12

Angela Lansbury

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Angela Lansbury on working with "pleasant but cold" Robert Montgomery
02:26
Angela Lansbury on her exciting experience doing "Cakes and Ale" on Robert Montgomery Presents
00:47

Piper Laurie

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Piper Laurie on performing on live television for the first time on Robert Montgomery Presents
04:58

Abby Mann

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Abby Mann on writing "The World to Nothing" for Robert Montgomery Presents
03:52

Agnes Nixon

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Agnes Nixon on writing an episode of Robert Montgomery Presents starring Jackie Cooper
01:14

Gene Reynolds

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Gene Reynolds on appearing on Robert Montgomery Presents and Kraft Television Theater
01:49

Cliff Robertson

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Cliff Robertson on acting in live Robert Montgomery Presents productions
03:30
Cliff Robertson on his work on Robert Montgomery Presents>
00:30

Dick Smith

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Dick Smith on quick makeup changes with actress Claire Bloom in a Robert Montgomery Presents production of "Victoria Regina"
12:43
Dick Smith on Claire Bloom's life mask, double and makeup in "Victoria Regina"
02:53

Gale Storm

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Gale Storm on her appearance on Robert Montgomery Presents
04:14

James Wall

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James Wall on acting on Robert Montgomery Presents and other anthology series
03:26

Ruth Warrick

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Ruth Warrick on starring in an episode of Robert Montgomery Presents and her thoughts on the advent of videotape
03:51

Max Wilk

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Max Wilk on producer Fred Coe, and on the process of writing for shows like Robert Montgomery Presents
06:03

Jane Wyatt

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Jane Wyatt on appearing in several productions of Robert Montgomery Presents, including "Kitty Foyle" and "The Awful Truth"
06:16

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